JOURNALS & PUBLICATIONS

The News: NYFF Talks the Talk

Sidney Lumet discussing Network last March at the Academy Theater (Photo: STV)

By S.T. VanAirsdale

Some of today's movie news of note from around New York:

--The Film Society of Lincoln Center sends word this morning that Todd Haynes, Sidney Lumet, Wes Anderson and Julian Schnabel are set to attend discussions of their respective films and careers during the 45th New York Film Festival. Ticket and program information should be available shortly at the NYFF Web site, but for now, count on Lumet joining Film Comment editor Gavin Smith, Schnabel shooting it with Film Society kingpin Richard Peña, Anderson going to the mat with associate programmer Kent Jones and Haynes discussing his recurring themes -- including "pop culture, sexuality and the question of the self in the modern world" -- with J. Hoberman. Geek out as well to The Future is Now: Blade Runner at 25, a panel discussion featuring everyone but Ridley Scott (at least officially). Ducats are $16 each for everything above, or chip in $40 and hang out with Wes Anderson (and this girl, more than likely) at a discussion after the chat.

--In other festival news, Toronto documentary programmer Thom Powers -- who not long ago chatted here about a few of the New York-linked docs on this year's slate -- has followed his exhausting selection regimen with what looks like an even more exhausting blogging regimen. To wit, Doc Blog, a comprehensive survey of the nonfiction films screening up north starting Sept. 6. Perhaps most notably for New Yorkers, look for more Schnabel in Lou Reed's Berlin, the director's film of the rocker's performances last year in Brooklyn. It's anyone's guess when this will surface in the States, but if you were there you know Bob Ezrin's BERLIN tailcoat is worth a second gawk.

--"I am an action film fan, willing to suspend disbelief on this matter in general, but when the body count in three scenes actually surpasses San Francisco’s annual murder record, things seem a little suspicious." Thus passes the sluggish Jason Statham/Jet Li combo War, even among its NYC hopeful.